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Lelani Lewis’s Plantain and Pumpkin Curry

Photo: Remko Kraaijeveld

BY The Editors

PUBLISHED February 21, 2024

This is anything but a traditional recipe. I threw it together on a whim on a winter day, when I still had plantains and a pumpkin that urgently needed to be used. It's a mild, almost sweet curry—if you're a fan of Indian korma, this is really something for you. Feel free to add more chili. I prefer to eat this with a tasty flaky roti. — Lelani Lewis

 

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Lelani Lewis shared this recipe when she joined us on Food with Mark Bittman.

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Lelani Lewis’s Plantain and Pumpkin Curry

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Makes 4 servings 1x

Units Scale

Ingredients

  • 2 medium onions
  • 3 cloves of garlic
  • About 3 tablespoons (20 grams) of ginger, peeled
  • About 1 teaspoon (3 grams) of Scotch bonnet pepper
  • 2 pounds (1 kilogram, about 4-5 cups chopped) of pumpkin (preferably Kabocha/Japanese pumpkin)
  • 1 plantain
  • 1/8 teaspoon of ground cumin
  • 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon of ground turmeric
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1/2 teaspoon of yellow mustard seeds
  • 2 teaspoons of Caribbean curry powder
  • 2 tablespoons of coconut oil
  • ~ 1 2/3 cups (400 ml) of coconut milk
  • 2 fresh bay leaves
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  1. Finely chop the onion, garlic, ginger, and Scotch bonnet. Remove the skin from the pumpkin and cut it into 3/4-inch cubes. Peel the plantain and cut it into 1/2 to 3/4-inch slices.
  2. Heat a large pan over medium heat. Toast the spices for 1 minute or until they start to release their aroma. Add the coconut oil, let it heat up, then add the onion, garlic, ginger, and Scotch bonnet. Fry until the onions become golden brown and start to caramelize.
  3. Add the pumpkin, coconut milk, and bay leaves to the pan and let it simmer for 40-50 minutes. Add the plantain and let it simmer for another 20-30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
  4. Serve with rice or roti and some coconut yogurt and chili flakes on top.

— Recipe from Code Noir: Afro-Caribbean Stories and Recipes

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